Possibly promising developments in Peking
I am not a huge fan of the 'People's Republic', as is well known to my regulars, but I am beginning to wonder if the 2008 Olympics could be an important step towards making it a more open society. Admittedly the PRC has an awfully long way to go, but…
Anyway, the details from China Daily: "Compared to the longstanding practice of "managing the media", governments at various levels are preparing to serve, instead of shying away from, journalists, following a new regulation which took effect on Monday...."In the relationship between government and the media, we are promoting a shift from managing the press to serving it, treating reporters as 'clients'".
Given that upwards of 30,000 journalists will be rooting around in the PRC next year, what prospect of Beijing being able to re-cork the bottle after the games?
Meanwhile, "Japan and the United States are considering a plan to coordinate the actions of their armed forces in the event China invades Taiwan" (Source). If that particular push comes to shove I think it fair to say that there will be an awful lot of lopsided events at the Games, with no North American, European or Anzac competitors. At least I hope there would not be any athletes from these parts, although we have the shame of Moscow 1980 to recall.
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on Thursday, January 04, 2007 at 10:49 am.
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China will not invade taiwan,there's far too much money at stake.
Look at Singapore and that's where China will be in twenty years,except bigger.
Taiwan: RM, hmm, not sure I know enough about the Chinese psyche to be sure they won't do something motivated by pride / loss of face etc.
I do know something abt Russia, and western judgements on 'what Putin would never do' have been proven wrong time & again, eg "the Russians would never cut off Ukraine's gas on the day Putin is due to take the chair of the G8, the PR fall-out would be disastrous...", as if Putin gives a twopenny toss.
C - I hope your optimistic scenario proves correct. The sooner the Chinese free up, the more relaxed we can all feel about our fates in the 21st century.
The Chinese are slowly opening up as time proceeds. There is no other way as they modernise and indsutrialise. The people will do it anyway. As usual, the PRC is actually being very clever (from its own authoritarian perspective) in allowing a slow pace of opening up. This means they get away with no political reform even as they allow huge social reform. I doff my cap, even as I wonder whether this can last.
Re Taiwan, as I said elsewhere, why would tey ruin everything they have achieved for this. Sabre rattling, even doing it in a severe way, will serve their purposes better. They have no domestic oil so are in a Tojo position re the USA.
Interesting blog and posts . Nick Drew`s point looks sound to me .
Well, as Nick Drew opened by admitting he doesn't know much about the Chinese psyche, I dont know what's sound about his post.
Rigger,in the first post, took the words right out of my mouth. Succinct and correct.
China is not going to invade Taiwan. Taiwan will continue to be an irritant to China, but it's an itch they'll never scratch. The Chinese have too much discipline and willpower to do impulsive things that have long-term consequences attached.
China is set on becoming one of the three superpowers, and most welcome they will be, because with three ultra-rich nations with excellent, displined armed forces, they won't put up with any bloody nonsense from the likes of Somalia and they will stabilise the world. I forecast a long period of peace and global prosperity once this kicks in. With these three superpowers in place, I see the role of the vile United Nations being slashed back to just a few agencies and no General Assembly or Security Council. The three big powers will settle security among themselves.
Lastly, what many people don't know is, the man who created Singapore out of his out mind is also assisting in the strategic development of China.
A million dollars to a dime they will not invade Taiwan.
The Middle East and islam will continue to be a problem until it is resolved, with us as the victors dictating terms.
Making various areas of the Middle East into protectorates will probably be discussed.
It may be necessary for us to co-opt Iran.
When I say "us" I mean, of course, "them": the three superpowers.
I would not mind seeing the entire Anglosphere becoming states of the United States of America. Especially Britain, Oz, NZ, Canada, Singapore. It is the way of the future and would be sound for all of us.
Also, as a state of the US, we would get our English Common Law (slipped out from under us by the vile EU) back, as the United States has never abandoned it.
I may not kno much abt China but I know good odds, my dime is on the table verity
Hmmm ... how will I spend it, I wonder.
wouldnt mind being part of the USA... more guns
I would prefer an extended US including the rest of the Anglosphere etc to the EU.
Yes, exactly. All the America haters could move to anti-democratic, sleazy, cheating, petty, fix-it, subsidized Europe. And the rest of us could become American. Then we could get a double-barrelled nomenclature. British-American. I think that has a lovely ring.
And yes, Phitch, most states, if I'm not mistaken, allow guns. Certainly all the Western and Southwestern states are big on gun ownership. But also New Hampshire and I believe Virginia, where they are also big on the death penalty, and the north, like Wisconsin, the Dakotas, etc. Lots of gun ops.
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